Best Cities for Full Stack Developers

Full Stack Developers are in high-demand in the industry of web development. There are many factors to consider when choosing a city for your career in full stack development to ensure that you get the right job at the best company in the ideal location. This article will explore the major factors you’ll want to consider including job opportunities, salary expectations, networking and community, and even quality of life. Keep reading below to learn more. 

What is a Full Stack Developer?

A full-stack developer helps build and maintain both the front end and the back-end of a website. They must be skilled in a variety of areas: programming, database management, user experience, project management, and client communication. They are also skilled in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NodeJS, ExpressJS, Django, and PHP. Equally, full-stack developers understand various database management systems (DBMS) like MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and more. 

Software developers require slightly different skills, tools, and software knowledge for frontend and backend development. Full stack development combines both disciplines—meaning teams can build applications from start to finish in an integrated and cohesive manner. This makes Full Stack Developers particularly valuable in the field of web development, allowing for higher earnings and greater long-term job stability. 

What Makes a City Good for Full Stack Developers?

There are many things that Full Stack Developers should look for in a potential city to ensure a stable and fulfilling career. The main things to look for are outlined below. 

Job Opportunities

Availability of job opportunities will obviously be one of the biggest factors to consider when looking for cities well suited for Full Stack Developers. It can be helpful to look for the types of companies or industries you’d be most likely to find full stack developer roles. You can start by researching the top employers for the city you’re considering and then take a look at the industries as well. Keep an eye out for tech, web development, or software engineering companies. This will help give you an idea of how many Full Stack Developer jobs may be available in the city and what sort of expansion or development may be occurring in the upcoming years. 

High Salaries

As you probably already know, salary ranges will depend on the location of the role. If you’re in a major metropolitan area, like San Francisco, New York, or Austin, you can expect higher salary ranges than those in areas like Cincinnati or Milwaukee. Some states require salary ranges to be listed on job postings but you may have to do some sleuthing for those that don’t. Sites like Glassdoor, Fishbowl, and Indeed allow previous and current employees to share their salary ranges as well as any feedback on the position they work and the company that employs them. According to Indeed, the average salary for a full stack developer is $125,199 per year in the United States, well above the national average salary for all jobs. 

Strong Full Stack Developer Community

This can be a little more difficult to suss out. If you’re interested in being a part of a diverse web development community, do some research into available networking events and professional groups. Are there ample offerings for professional development? Can you easily meet other full stack experts and form industry connections? If you’re a remote worker, you may want to also look into what coworking spaces are available and if any of them specialize in web development or tech-related fields. It may also be helpful to look into what degree programs are available. Cities with universities that have full stack developer undergraduate (or graduate) programs end up with pools of highly skilled professionals that inevitably lead to industry growth and development. Plus, these degree programs also offer another opportunity for networking. 

Quality of Life

Full stack development can be a demanding career, one that involves tight deadlines and unique challenges. Working with clients, collaborating with coworkers, and troubleshooting issues can be stressful at times, so it’s important you choose a city that helps you relax and unwind when you’re off the clock. Do hiking and rock climbing clear your head? Then you should consider the mountains of Denver or the scenery of the Pacific Northwest. If toes in the sand sounds therapeutic, consider Los Angeles, San Diego, or Charleston, SC. Tack stock of your hobbies and passions and the kinds of people that you surround yourself with and then use that information to guide your choice of city. Factors like a thriving cultural scene, access to activities, and a welcoming community may be more important than you think. A high quality of life ensures that tech professionals not only excel in their careers but also enjoy a well-rounded lifestyle.

Top Cities for Full Stack Developers

Unsure what cities may be best for a Full Stack Developer? Below are five of the top options, and a brief explanation of why each of them could be a good fit for you. 

San Francisco

Known as the global epicenter for the tech industry, San Francisco has long been an ideal location for Full Stack Developers. The Bay Area is home to many influential tech companies, including Facebook, Amazon, and Alphabet. The tech industry in 2022 saw 5.2% growth in San Francisco and, according to Indeed, the average salary for a Full Stack Developer is $152,913. As a bonus, the Bay Area is known for pleasantly moderate weather, scenic views, and benefits from both beaches and nearby hikes. It also has a thriving arts and culture scene, providing plenty of outlets for personal fulfillment.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is more than just the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Often referred to as “Silicon Beach,” LA is home to hundreds of tech companies with positions ranging from entry- to senior-level jobs. Businesses like Snap Inc, Headspace, and System1 are all based in LA and contribute to the growing market for tech-related jobs. According to Indeed, the average salary for a Full Stack Developer is $137,213 per year in Los Angeles, CA. In addition, the demand for skilled developers in LA is high, with numerous tech startups and established companies looking for talented individuals to support their digital efforts. (Plus you’ll have easy beach access and endless entertainment for your off-work hours.)

Austin

While Austin tries its best to keep it weird, the top industries for the region are more traditional than you’d think. Technology, manufacturing, and healthcare top the industry charts in Austin. Major tech companies like Dell, IBM, and Apple, several healthcare providers, and manufacturing giants like Samsung and NXP Semiconductors are all based in the area and each of these three top industries will have a high demand for Full Stack Developers. Indeed reports the average salary for a Full Stack Developer is $135,707 per year in Austin, on par with other major metropolitan areas. If you’re into live music, good food, or year-round warm weather, then Austin’s the place for you. 

Denver

While Denver may be most well-known for the mountains just beyond its borders, the city is a great spot for tech professionals. Several of the top industries in the area are tech-related, like aerospace, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, energy, and biosciences. Aerospace alone employs over 33,000 professionals across 290 companies, while FinTech-related deals in Metro Denver grew from $15.2 million in 2010 to $45.7 million in 2020. According to Indeed, the average salary for a Full Stack Developer is $127928 per year in Denver. The city is experiencing consistent growth and it isn’t hard to see why: thriving industries, in-demand jobs with high salaries, and a great quality of life all make it a great place to live and work. 

Charlotte

With a regional population of 2.9 million people and 25 colleges and universities, the Charlotte Region is seeing a substantial economic boom. Advanced manufacturing, financial services, and innovation economy (tech) are all top industries in Charlotte. The tech industry itself employs 67,000 professionals with a reported 23% growth in the last year. Plus there are 15 local higher education institutions with tech programs, creating plenty of opportunities for networking and forming community. And with an average salary of $136, 559 for a Full Stack Developer, Charlotte has a lot to offer the tech professional. 

Why Become a Full Stack Developer?

Becoming a Full Stack Developer has many benefits. To become a full stack developer, you must skilled with back-end coding and database technologies, including programming languages, Ruby, Python, NodeJS, and PHP, web servers, such as Apache, and database management systems like MySQL, JSON, MongoDB, and SQL. You should also be good at front end engineering, using programming languages and frameworks such as CSS, JavaScript, HTML5, AJAX, AngularJS, and JQuery, and understand the dynamics of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX).This diversity in your expertise will make you adaptable and open up more job opportunities. 

Additionally, a career in full stack development can provide stability, scalable growth, and an above average salary. There are currently an estimated 216,700 Web Developers and Digital Designers (the category that Full Stack Developers typically fall into) in the United States, and that number is projected to grow rather quickly, thanks to the position’s high demand. In fact, employment of Web Developers and Digital Designers is projected to grow 16% between 2022 and 2032, substantially faster than the average for all other occupations. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Web Developers boast a median pay of $80,730. Your title can make all the difference regarding salary, with Forbes and several other online sources reporting that Back End Developers can often earn more than Front End, and Full Stack Developers generally earn more than all other alternatives. From career opportunities to growth to pay, learning full stack development is a worthwhile endeavor for any motivated professional. 

How to Find a Full Stack Developer Job

There are many ways to find a job in full stack development. If you attend professional training, you may be able to network with your instructor, fellow students, and other alumni. You’l also typically have the opportunity to create a portfolio of your work and receive coaching on applying and interviewing for positions. 

Job search sites are the easiest way to see everything that’s available. You can search in your current area, your desired area, or for fully remote roles. Most of these sites will allow you to filter your searches for specific job titles, pay ranges, and experience levels. It’s important to note that these sites rely on the job posters to remove their postings when the role is filled, which doesn’t always happen in a timely fashion. You’ll want to pay attention to posting dates or filter your search to list the most recent postings first to ensure you’re viewing the most up to date positions. 

While not as common, internships can be used to work your way into a full-time role. Internships can be paid or unpaid but both will offer you real-world experience and plenty of professional connections. If you work hard and prove your competence, the company may even hire you at the end of your internship, allowing you to begin your dream job without having to deal with the ups and downs of the job application process. 

Learn the Skills to Become a Full Stack Developer at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers several professional training courses that will properly prepare you for a career in full stack development. Held both live online or in-person at their office in New York City, Noble Desktop’s courses boast top-notch curriculum, industry-expert instructors, and additional career and support resources. Their certificate and bootcamp programs result in a certificate of completion that can be added to your LinkedIn profile and presented to potential employers during the interview process. Below are a few of the most relevant courses for those interested in becoming Full Stack Developers. 

Full Stack Web Development Certificate

This thorough certificate training teaches you how to program the visual appearance of a web application (the front end) and the infrastructure that allows it to function (the back end) to create complete web pages. Project-oriented, it will cover everything you need to know to code websites from scratch while building a portfolio of working web applications to showcase to potential employers.

This course takes 17 weeks for full-time students and ten months for part-time. This course includes 1:1 mentoring and one free retake, and financial assistance options (like installments and financing) are available for those in need. You’ll receive a certificate of completion at the end of this training that can be added to your resume, cover letter, or online portfolio. 

Software Engineering Certificate

This program is divided into front end development, React Development, and Django (Python) Development. You will learn HTML to mark up web pages and CSS for styling; the fundamentals of JavaScript and Git; and how to use Flexbox and Grid to layout, align, reorder, and adapt web page content to different size screens. You’ll then move on to the fundamental JavaScript programming concepts, including variables, data types, loops, and DOM. Plus, you’ll cover topics like React, a powerful JavaScript library for web development, and master Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js to round out your JavaScript development skills.

By creating a portfolio of projects, preparing for common interview questions, and polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile, this course will have you ready to pursue a new job in software engineering in as little as 20 weeks (on a full-time schedule). One-on-one mentoring and a free one-year retake are included in the cost of this course. Payment plans and tuition assistance are available, and this training requires no previous experience, making it great for beginners.

Python Developer Bootcamp

This three-week course teaches Python for software development with Django, Django REST, and other developer tools like Git and SQL. You’ll start by learning the basics of Python including its lexical syntax, then move to more advanced topics like dictionaries, custom functions, and sorting algorithms. In week two, you'll learn object-oriented programming, how to work with APIs, and get an introduction to web databases using SQL. By creating projects that can be added to your portfolio, you’ll master URL dispatchers, querying models, and automating tasks with Django, as well as how to work with images, authentication, and use API endpoints with Django REST. 

It’s recommended that you are comfortable coding HTML and basic CSS. You should possess equivalent knowledge of Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS class, and mastery of another programming language is helpful, but not required. Payment plans and financing are available, in addition to extra perks like one-on-one mentoring, a free one-year retake, and a verified digital certificate are included with your purchase.